1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for a timeline-based content control method and apparatus using a nonlinear timeline bar. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling video and audio clips using the non-linear timeline bar.
2. Description of the Related Art
Touch screens or touch panels refer to a user interface device for detecting a tactile-sensed position where a user has touches a displayed character or a specific point displayed on a screen capable of sensing touch by an input means such as a user's fingertip and/or a touch pen without using a keyboard, and then handling a specific event corresponding thereto using stored software. In most cases, the user interface device senses a user's fingertip as an input means, causing low-touch accuracy due to the large user's fingertip. Hardware solutions such as stylus pens have been proposed as a way of solving the problems associated with inaccurate finger touch on the touchscreen display. However, the use of a styles has disadvantages in that user often separately purchases the stylus pen, which may be subsequently inadvertently lost. Also, the use of a stylus often requires use of both hands to manipulate the user interface device with it.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a timeline bar according to the prior art.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a timeline bar T_bar1 is displayed as a linear (or straight) line corresponding to the full size of content such as video and audio. The timeline bar T_bar1 includes a timeline slider T_slider1 indicating a specific portion of the content, which is actually being played on a screen.
In reality, the timeline bar T_bar1 according to the prior art is displayed as one side of a screen frame, or a linear line in a specific area of the screen frame. In this case, the amount of content, which corresponds to a specific length of the timeline bar T_bar1, is actually fixed. In this touch environment, a user may not finely or precisely manipulate the timeline slider T_slider1 with his or her fingertip because of the large size of the fingertip.
FIG. 2 shows another example of a timeline bar according to the prior art. Shown in FIG. 2 is a timeline bar disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0010935, filed on Jul. 27, 2009, invented by the inventors of this application. In FIG. 2, a timeline bar T_bar2 is formed in a nonlinear pattern to solve the problems of the timeline bar T_bar1 shown in FIG. 1. If the timeline bar T_bar2 is formed nonlinearly as shown in FIG. 2, the nonlinear timeline bar T_bar2 is longer in length than the linear timeline bar T_bar1, so the user may finely manipulate a timeline slider T_slider2 with ease, contributing to the improvement in convenience of content manipulation and enabling fine manipulation.
However, the timeline bar T_bar2 in FIG. 2 may be the same as the timeline bar T_bar1 in FIG. 1 in that the amount of content, which corresponds to a specific length of the timeline bar T_bar2, is fixed. In other words, the user may not select a fineness of the timeline bar T_bar2, because he or she may not adjust the length of the timeline bar T_bar2. In addition, since the pattern of the timeline bar T_bar2 in FIG. 2 is more complex than that of the simple linear timeline bar T_bar1, the user may not immediately determine the current position of the timeline slider T_slider2 due to its unfamiliar pattern, when he or she merely wants to check the current position of the timeline slider T_slider2.
Other attempted solutions to deal with touch accuracy include the development of “Rewind” and Fast Forward” buttons that have been proposed as possible software solutions to the problems stated above. Even in the case of using such buttons, the user may not shift a timeline slider to his/her desired position on a timeline bar in real time, though he or she may shift the timeline slider fast.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a solution to the use of timeline bars, particularly with audio and video clips, unknown heretofore.